In automotive vehicles, it is common to have a climate control system located within an instrument panel which provides heated or cooled air to occupants through dash panel defrost air outlets, instrument panel venting air outlets and floor directed air outlets. These traditional climate control systems often include a heater core that performs heat exchange between the engine coolant, which is heated by the engine, and the cool air in the cabin/outside environment, in order to provide warm air to the passenger compartment. Some vehicles include an air conditioning system that cooperates with an evaporator for absorbing heat from the air in the vehicle. The heater core and evaporator are typically provided in an HVAC case located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
A vehicle dash panel defines a boundary between an engine compartment and a passenger compartment. There has been an increasing trend to provide increased space within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. To accommodate such demand, automobile manufacturers are revising the layout of instrument panels to increase space. The profiles of instrument panels are becoming lower and decreasing in size. As a result, packaging challenges are created for components cooperating with or contained within the instrument panel.
One of the major components subject to packaging challenges is the HVAC case and related ducting required to allow the hot and cold air to enter and exit the passenger compartment. The location of respective dash panel defrost air outlets, instrument panel venting air outlets and floor directed air outlets remains a critical factor in HVAC performance and overall passenger comfort. As a result, it is necessary to provide an effective ducting system for delivering heated and cooled air at the desired locations into the passenger compartment while satisfying packaging constraints.